Showing posts with label alcohol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alcohol. Show all posts

Book Review: Beginner's Guide to Whiskey: Traditions, Types, and Tastes of the Ultimate Spirit by Sam Green

Beginner's Guide to Whiskey: Traditions, Types, and Tastes of the Ultimate Spirit is a nonfiction book by Sam Green. It shares whiskey's rich history, the detailed process from grain to glass, the main types of brown liquor, and, of course, the fine art of savoring handcrafted whiskey. 

Beginner's Guide to Whiskey is an accessible guide to the history, varieties, making, drinking, and meal pairing of whiskey. I have been fascinated by whiskey for years, but am not a big drinker and have been intimidated by the varieties with no clear idea of where to start exploring whiskey without wasting time or money. This guide explained the differences between how the difference types are made, and in turn how they vary in taste. I really liked the charts at the end of each chapter giving some suggests as to where to start and what they each taste like. Making cocktails, and pairing drinks with food are covered as well, which I found helpful. I think i specifically liked the accessible narrative tone of the writing, and the reassurance that there is no wrong way to drink whiskey. Drink what you like, responsibly of course, and enjoy it. Neat, on the rocks, with water, or as part of a cocktail- the important part is finding what you enjoy and doing so is what matters.

Beginner's Guide to Whiskey is a well written, researched guide with suggestions that have put a few things on my mental shopping list.

Book Review: Cocktails Made Simple: Easy & Delicious Recipes for the Home Bartender by Brian Weber, Amin Benny

Cocktails Made Simple: Easy & Delicious Recipes for the Home Bartender by Brian Weber and Amin Benny is a recipe book to help readers craft forty iconic cocktails in the comforts of their own home. From finding the right glass to a flaming peel finish, learn how to build a functional home bar using cost-effective tips on the essential tools to mix with—and familiar alternatives to make the most of what is on hand. The book includes information on the art of crafting cocktails with terms to know and tools of the trade., how to stock your home bar and enhance everyday ingredients using simple techniques, and traditional cocktails categorized by spirit complete with a brief history of each drink and tasty twists.
Cocktails Made Simple is a great book for helping readers learn how to make the best drinks possible at home. I like that while the proper tools are listed, and explained- substitutions are suggested so that those of us that rarely need a tool can still make some of the more complicated drinks without going out and buying more equipment. I also liked the detailed information on all the possible ingredients, included recommending brands. As someone that is not a big drinker (preferring one quality drink I know I like rather than trying something in question) there are some things I have never tried, or at least variations I have not tried, so knowing some information on the drinks before diving in was very helpful.  Similar, seeing the drink ingredients and percentages made it easier to decide on which I might enjoy most, and be most eager to try. I found the instructions and related information to be very accessible. I liked the illustrations that detail the creation of each drink as well. It felt very easy to follow, and the tone was encouraging. My husband and I tend to stick with the same comfortable drinks, but now I think I might add a few new things to my repertoire. There is a trip to the store and some tasty cocktails in my near future. 

Cocktails Made Simple is a well organized and accessible guide for readers that want to expand their knowledge of cocktails for themselves, or to entertain and wow their friends. 

Early Book Review: My Best Friend’s Ex (Daring Divorcees) by Shannyn Schroeder

My Best Friend’s Ex is the second book in the Daring Divorcees series  by Shannyn Schroeder. It is currently scheduled for release on June 10 2019. Each book can be read as a stand alone, but I think returning readers will enjoy seeing characters from the divorcee support group come back in each book.

Trevor Booth’s life was just thrown a curveball. When his ex dies, he suddenly goes from an every-other-weekend, fun-time dad to full-time dad. The dad part he’s cool with, but life with two teens is like a roller coaster in hell. Thank God his ex-wife’s best friend, Callie, seems to have secret powers that allow her to deal with the chaos. Callie is devastated when Lisa dies and she’s determined to help the kids get through it. She’s concerned about how Trevor will adjust to being a full-time parent, but she’s having a tough time keeping her eyes off his ripped physique. Callie loves being a part of this makeshift family but no way she’s falling for her best friend’s ex.
My Best Friend’s Ex is a contemporary romance that deals with many real issues, and does it well. So many factors have influence over how we face grief, stress, and love. Trevor loves his kids, even if he did not spend every day with them. When his ex wife dies he goes from a part time dad to a full time dad of two grieving teenagers. His ex's best friend, who was once his friend to, is deeply involved their their loves. They fight their way through grief and forging new routines and a new life together. Romantic love was not something they were looking for or expected, but sometimes that is when it hits the strongest. Trevor, Callie, and the kids are all working towards a future, preferably together, and the details and stress of making that happen is the heart of that book. Coming to term with what they need, what they want, and how to make it work is a real and constant conflict here. Sharing those revelations and working towards those goals can be harder than realizing them, but that is what Trevor and Callie need to do in order to move forward. I love that no character was perfect, and that no solution could be. However, they acknowledged that and  moved forward with that in mind, and the willingness to lean on each other when needed.
My Best Friend’s Ex is a sweet, heart warming, and sometimes frustrating read because of the very real flaws and fears of the characters. I enjoyed the read and will be looking for more from the author and series.